Apparatus for cutting strip material



Nov. 20, 1951 J. w. HUFF 7 I 2,575,450

' APPARATUS FOR CUTTING STRIP MATERIAL Filed Oct. 2, 1946 I 2 SHEETS-SHEET} J 51755 [LFHLFF Nov. 20, 1951 J VQQAUFF A 2,575,450

APPARATUS FOR CUTTING STRIP- MATERIAL Filed 001;. 2, 1946 A 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Y Y Q N T mm; Q 1% James [AF/:75?

Patented Nov. 20, 1951 APPARATUS FOR CUTTING STRIP MATERIAL James W. Hufl, Akron, Ohio, assignor to The B. F. Goodrich Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application October 2, 1946, Serial No. 700,753

4 Claims.

This invention relates to apparatus for cutting and notching strip material such as belts, or other bands which may be in endless form and the invention is especially useful in the cutting of transverse slits or notches along the pulley side of V-belts.

In the manufacture of V-belts of fabric or cord and rubber or other rubber-like material, the cutting of slits or notches in the pulley side of the belt and extending transversely thereof has the advantage of making the belt more flexible and decreasing internal friction, thereby prolonging the life of the belt.

It is an object of the present invention to provide for cutting slits or notches in belts or bands and to facilitate such cutting in bands of endless form.

Other objects are to provide for cutting such belts progressively with a minimum of physical effort, to provide for continuous cutting and simultaneous advance of the belt, to provide for cutting slits at an angle acute to a face of the belt, to provide for notching the belts by successive cuts of opposite angularity, to provide simultaneous power-driven advance of the belt with synchronous cutting thereof, and to provide a uniform product.

These and other objects will appear from the following description and the accompanying drawings.

Of the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of apparatus constructed in accordance with and embodying the invention, parts being broken away.

Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view thereof, taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view taken on line 33 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view thereof taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a front elevation of another embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 6 is a front elevation of a modification of the cutter head of Fig 5.

Fig. '7 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 1-1 of Fig. 6.

Fi 8 is a similar view taken on line 8-8 of Fig. 6.

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of a portion of a V-belt having lateral slits as cut by the apparatus of Figs. 1 to 5.

Fig. 10 is a similar view of a portion of a V-belt having lateral notches as cut by the cutter of Figs. 6 to 8.

Referring to the drawings, and first to the embodiment of Figs. 1 to 4 thereof, the numeral Ill designates the frame of the apparatus which supports three V-grooved pulleys ll, [2, l3 arranged on parallel axes in the form of a triangle. 5 Pulley II is freely rotatable about its shaft I4 which is supported by a bracket mounted on the frame It. Pulley I2 is freely rotatable about its shaft l6 fixed to a standard ll supported by the frame it. Pulley I3 is also freely rotatable 10 about its shaft l8 which is fixed to a carriage l9 slideably mounted on a bracket 28 fixed to frame In. A fluid-pressure operated cylinder 2! is secured to the bracket and its piston rod 22 is secured to carriage l9. The arrangement is such 15 that when the piston rod is moved to the left in Fig. 1, the V-belt 23 about pulleys ll, l2, I3 is tensioned, and when the piston rod is moved to the right, tension is relieved so that the belt may be removed. The standard I1 is preferably ad- 20 justable vertically of the frame ill to adjust the apparatus to belts of different circumference.

Also mounted on the frame in are a pair of pedestal bearings 25, 26 which rotatably support a shaft 21 with its axis parallel to the reach of belt between pulleys H and i3. The shaft 27 has -fixed thereto a sprocket 28, a sprocket 29 and a cutter head 30. Sprocket 28 is driven by a chain 3| from a motor 32 through a speed reducer 33.

The cutter head is provided with an up- 30 standing knife blade 35 secured thereabout in a helical path, the pitch of the convolutions of the blade being equal to the desired spacing of slits in the belt.

For supporting the horizontal reach of the belt 35 and pressing it against the cutter blade, a carriage 40 is vertically guided for sliding movement with respect to frame It! by rails 41, 42. A plurality of free-running guide rollers 43 are rotatably mounted on carriage 40 and have flanges 40 44, 45 for supporting the belt laterally. A fluidpressure operated cylinder 45 is fixed to the frame ill and its piston rod 41 is secured to the carriage. The arrangement is such that when air under pressure is supplied to the lower end of cylinder 45 46, the carriage 40 is raised and the belt is pressed into engagement with the knife blade 35.

For recording the revolutions of the cutter head a revolution counter is mounted on the frame I0 and is driven by a chain 5| and sprocket 52 50 from sprocket 29. The revolution counter is preferably of the type which makes an electrical contact after a desired number of revolutions and its circuit is arranged to stop .the motor 32 after the desired number of slits has been cut in the belt.

supports V=grooved belt pulleys 6 l, 62, 63.

The operation of the apparatus is as follows: Air is admitted to the right end of cylinder 2| as seen in Fig. 1, and cylinder 46, which is a single-acting cylinder, is connected to exhaust to lower carriage 40. A belt is then placed about pulleys H, [2 and I3 and air is admitted to the left end of cylinder 2| to tension the belt thereabout. Air is then admitted to cylinder 43 to raise carriage 40 and force the horizontal reach of the belt against the cutting knife and, at the same time, the motor 32 is started to cause the cutter head 30 to rotate in a counterclockwise, direction as seen when looking from the right of Fig. 1. As the cutter head rotates it cuts'spacedapart lateral slits in the beitandby'the engagement of the knife in the slits: advances the belt to the right as seen in Fig. 1, about pulleys ll, l2, 13. When the last out is made, the counter 50 makes an electrical contact which stops the motor 32. The carriage 4G is then lowered and tension on the belt is" released and' the belt removed. In this form of the invention the helical knife engages in the material of the'belt and advances the belt automatically as'it cuts successive lateral slits in the belt. While means has been described for supporting an endless belt, extensive strip-material such as a'continuous' strip of belting may be' slit by placing it between the cutter 3 and the support was the cutter feeds the strip regardless of tension on the strip.

Referring to Fig. 5 of the drawing, a frame til Pulley BI- is rotatably mounted about a shaft 64 fixed to a bracket fi5'secure'd to the frame. Pulley 52 is mounted for free rotation in a bracket 66 adjustably supported on a standard 6? fixed to frame 68 for vertical adjustment. Pulley 63 is rotatably mounted on a carriage b8 slideably mounted on a bracket 59 secured to the frame 66. A fluid-pressure operated cylinder 7!! is fixed to bracket es and its piston is secured to carriagetS for moving it to tension the belt I l forsupporting the sides of the belt. For cutting slits in the belt, a pair of pedestals 80, 8| are fixed to the frame 58 and rotatably support a shaft 82 journaled therein. The shaft t2 has a cutter head 83 and a sprocket 84 fixed thereto.

A knife blade 85 is secured about the cutter head along a helical path in a position to engage the belt where it is supported by the pulley 73. A motor 86 drives the shaft 82 through the sprocket 84 and a chain drive.

For advancing the belt as it is cut, a worm gear 87 is fixed to pulley 6| and is engaged by a worm 88 secured to a shaft 89. Shaft 89 has a bearing in apedestal 98 secured to frame 6!] and is driven by shaft 82 through a universal coupling 9 I. The arrangement is suchthat the belt I! is advanced past'the cutter'head 85 at each revolution of the cutter'head by an amount equal to the pitch of the helical knife blade, thereby relieving the knife blade of the friction resulting from advance of the belt.

With this form of apparatus the knife blade may extend radially to form lateral slits in the belt such as the slits Hill in the belt llll of Fig. 9.

To provide for cutting notches such as the notches ill 102 of the belt I03 of Fig. 10 a cutter head Hi4, illustrated in Figs. 6 to 8, may be substituted for the cutter head of Fig. 5. This cutter head has a plurality of blades mounted about its periphery. The blades I05 are inclined to the left, as in Fig. 7 and extend through a semi-circumference of the cutter head along a helical path. The blades 96 are inclined in the opposite direction as shown in Fig. 8 and extend about the cutter head along a helical path in the opposite semi-circumference of the cutter head, the blades being arranged to make successive oppositely inclined intersecting cuts across the belt, thereby cutting V-shaped cross grooves in the belt. At eachrevolution of the cutter head a notch is completed and the material between the oppositely inclined cuts drops-from the belt.

In the operation of the apparatus of Figs. 5 to 8 inclusive, compressed air or other fluid is admitted to the right end of the cylinder 10 to move pulley 63 toward pulley 6i and fluid pressure is exhausted from cylinder 75 to-lower pulley 13. A belt H is then placed aboutthe pulleys SI, 62, 53, the pulley 62 being adjusted to the belt to be cut. Fluid is then admitted to the left end of cylinder 10 to move pulley 63 to the left to tensionthe'belt and fluid pressure is admitted to cylinder 15 to raise pulley l3 and. with it-the lower reach ofthe belt into engagement with the-knives on thecutter head 85. The motor 86 is then started and the cutter head rotates andcuts successive cuts or notches in the belt laterally thereof as the belt is advanced circumferentially. This form of apparatus-may be equipped with a motor controlling counter as in the apparatus of Fig. 1-0r the motor may be stopped by control of the operator.

Variations may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as it is defined by the following claims.

I claim:

1. Apparatus-for cutting lateral notches in an endless belt of flexible strip material'while the belt is supported under tension, said apparatus comprising means for tensioning a reach of the strip material, means for supporting one face of the tensioned reach against deflection by direct contact therewith, notching means comprising a rotatable cutter having a helical blade located opposite said supporting means with its blade-in position to cut partially through the tensioned reach, and means for rotating said cutter to cut notches partially through-said-stripand to simultaneously advance the strippast said support by engagement of the helical cutter therewith.

2. Apparatus for cutting lateral notches in an endless belt of flexible strip material while the belt is supported under tension, said apparatus comprising means for tensioning a reach of the stfipmatrial, roller means engageable with a face of the strip at said reach for supporting-the strip against deflection by direct contact therewith, notching means comprising a rotatable cutter having a helical blade locatedopposite said roller means with its blade in' position to cut partially through the tensiohed reach of the strip, means for adjusting said roller means toward and away from the 'stripf'and means for rotating said cutter to cut notches partially through said strip and simultaneously to advance the strip past said roller means by engagement of the helical cutter therewith.

3. Apparatus for cutting lateral notches in an endless belt while the belt is supported under tension, said apparatus comprising a set of pul- -le'ys for engaging said belt, means for moving one of said pulleys to tension a reach of the belt, roller means engageable with a face of said reach of the belt for supporting the reach against deflection by direct contact therewith, notching means comprising a rotatable cutter having a helical blade located opposite said roller means with its blade in position to cut partially through the tensioned reach of the belt, and means for rotating said cutter to cut notches partially through said belt and simultaneously to advance the belt past said roller means by engagement of the helical cutter therewith.

4. Apparatus for cutting lateral notches in an endless belt while the belt is supported under tension, said apparatus comprising a set of pulleys for engaging said belt, means for moving one of said pulleys to tension a reach of the belt, roller means engageable with a face of said reach of the belt for supporting the reach against defiection by direct contact therewith, notching means comprising a rotatable cutter having a helical blade located opposite said roller means with its blade in position to cut partially through the tensioned reach of the belt, means for adjusting said roller means toward and from said rotat- 6 able cutter to position a reach of the belt for cutting, and means for rotating said cutter to cut notches partially through said belt and simultaneously to advance the belt past said roller means by engagement of the helical cutter therewith.

JAMES W. HUFF.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 737,430 Lyon Aug. 25, 1903 1,498,935 Shull June 24, 1924 1,510,729 Weisner Oct. 7, 1924 1,577,621 Gammeter Mar. 23, 1926 1,580,916 Putt Apr. 13, 1926 1,673,219 Andrews June 12, 1928 1,676,011 Evans July 3, 1928 1,958,122 Ambler May 8, 1934 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 65,501 Norway Sept. 1, 1947 

